Who better to send a credit card into meltdown than

Who better to send a credit card into
meltdown than forthright fashion scribe
Maggie Alderson? Forget your list! She
who knows her Paul Smith from her Peter
Pilotto and her Grenson from her Hostem,
has done the legwork for you.
photography tara fisher
T
he Pet Shop Boys must
have been onto something.
Certainly the newly fashionable
East End neighbourhood of Shoreditch
is unusually well-supplied with fabulous
menswear emporiums. And no girl
should leave the West End without a
gorgeous new outfit – be it head-to-toe
designers or something more budgetfriendly from the high-style/low-cost
chains the UK is famous for.
London has many neighbourhood
shopping pockets, but the W1 and E2
postcodes are the hot spots, offering the
most interesting and varied retail experiences within areas of roughly one square
kilometre, each easily done in a day.
You will come across loads more
well-known brands as you follow these
trails, but here are my hot picks.

Hostem
j u ly 201 2 Q A N TAS 7 9
shop london
W1
Liberty
210-220 Regent Street (entry
via Great Marlborough Street).
(020) 7734 1234. liberty.co.uk
The wood-panelled interiors are
as beautiful as the merchandise.
I treat Liberty rather as I do the
Victoria & Albert Museum, gliding
through the six floors of gorgeous
things, enriching myself
aesthetically – occasionally
bankrupting myself a little, too.
I could move into the shoe
department, where sit newer
names Nicholas Kirkwood,
Rupert Sanderson and Isabel
Marant, as well as classics such
as Prada and Yves Saint Laurent.
Zara
118 Regent Street.
(020) 7534 9500. zara.com
Of the many London branches
of Zara, the spacious Regent Street
one is my favourite. This Spanish
chain is unmatched for quality and
style at affordable prices. I buy most
of my clothes here. It’s the place to
find the hot trend that makes you
instantly on season, but also great
for building block pieces, such as
a perfect lightweight trench. For
Zara’s brilliant children’s wear,
I take my daughter to the branch
at 333 Oxford Street in Mayfair.
Paul Smith
9 Albemarle Street.
(020) 7493 4565. paulsmith.co.uk
Paul Smith’s contemporary stamp
on classic British style (particularly
menswear) is globally renowned –
and available. This is his quirky
one-off store – no clothes or
wallets, but a satisfying mash-up
of interesting old furniture, objects
and what he calls “curiosities”.
Dover Street Market
Dover Street
Market
80 Q A N TAS j u ly 201 2
17-18 Dover Street. (020) 7518
0680. doverstreetmarket.com
Comme des Garçons designer
Rei Kawakubo’s six-storey take
on a fashion department store
is fabulous and bonkers, with crazy
installations mixed in with the
finest designer threads – and
feather dusters. Start at the top
and work your way down. The
third floor, where the clothes of
Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto,
Erdem and their ilk hang – along
with the store’s shoe and handbag
offerings – nearly reduces me to
tears of frustrated longing.
Wright & Teague
35 Dover Street. (020) 7629 2777.
wrightandteague.com
Forget breakfast at Tiffany’s, I’d
rather have tea at Wright & Teague
and drool over their jewellery:
contemporary in style, but inspired
by ancient goldsmithing traditions.
It’s less about bling status than
the fundamental human impulse
for adornment. Or, to put it
another way, I really want
a pair of their gloriously
simple solid-gold earrings.
Fenwick
63 New Bond Street.
(020) 7629 9161. fenwick.co.uk
Whenever I need a special dress
I go straight to Fenwick. I’ve never
been disappointed. These are
clothes for grown-ups – not
frumps or fashion victims, but
sophisticated women looking
for something with flair.
neighbourhood note
Mount Street. Christian Louboutin
and Lanvin are just two of the
exquisite top-end boutiques in my
favourite London window-shopping
street. I’ve never bought anything
there, but just walking along
Mount Street makes me happy.
Marks & Spencer
458 Oxford Street. (020) 7935
7954. marksandspencer.com
The brand that defines Britain
is currently on an upswing. The
best pieces are always here in the
flagship store – although the Per 
shop london
Dover
Street
Market
Maison Trois Garçons
Una range is not quite to my taste.
Look for the stylish day dresses,
designed to flatter real women’s
bodies, with “secret support”. The
lady tummy isn't an unmentionable
secret; they’re onto it.
neighbourhood note
Oxford Street, one of the world's
busiest shopping thoroughfares, is
best avoided at weekends. Thursday
is late-night shopping; many stores
are open until 9pm. My preferred
W1 shopping day is Wednesday,
when the new stock goes into Zara.
Selfridges & Co
Grenson
(and above)
400 Oxford Street.
(0800) 123 400. selfridges.com
London’s greatest department
store is a day out as much as a
shop. I rarely buy clothes here, but
it’s the best place in London to buy
underwear, with lovely changing
rooms, knowledgeable staff, and a
massive range. Go counterintuitive
in the huge shoe department and
buy the cheaper ranges. Britain’s
best high-style/value shoe chain,
Office, has its own boutique in
a large, comfortable space – so
much more pleasant than the
cramped high-street branches.
Topshop also has a bijou boutique
here; their amazing “Premium”
shoe range starts at £70 ($112).
Uniqlo
311 Oxford Street.
(020) 7290 7701. uniqlo.com
This flagship for the Japanese chain
82 Q A N TAS j u ly 201 2
is the new best place for cheap
chic. As well as their famous range
of well-priced cashmere knits,
there are great jeans, cargos and
all aspects of urban casual wear.
Topshop
36-38 Great Castle Street.
(084) 4848 7487. topshop.com
Go early, breathe deeply as you
descend into fashion Heaven/
Hades, and never go on weekends.
With so many clothes and people
it can be overwhelming, but there
are prizes to be found. New York
fashion editors flock to buy the
jeans. Prices have crept up, making
it less appealing with Zara nearby,
but it’s a dream shop for under-30s.
I love the costume jewellery.
E2
neighbourhood note
Shoreditch is in that golden
phase where grunge tips over
into glorious, just before the chain
stores ruin it. They’re starting to
move in, so go now. Start with
Fournier Street to get a taste of
old Spitalfields with its beautiful
18th-century townhouses. You
might see artists Gilbert and
George, residents since 1968.
with contemporary styling.
They also have a great line in
sleek women’s brogues.
neighbourhood note
Don’t be tempted to go into any
of the shops in Brick Lane until
after you’ve passed Cheshire
Street. The second-hand polyester
may well sap your shopping soul.
House of Vintage
4 Cheshire Street. (020) 7739 8142.
houseofvintagelondon.blogspot.com
A gorgeous vintage shop for men
and women, with carefully selected
stock brought in from the US. For
ladies, dresses are a specialty and
for chaps, there are great ex-navy
pea coats. Prices are surprisingly
reasonable. The 1940s LBD I loved
was in mint condition and £115
($185). Pea coats from £140 ($225).
127 Brick Lane
(020) 7729 6320. 127bricklane.com
A surprising spot to find standout
contemporary designers of the
minimalist/art genre. There's a lot
of black jersey by Rick Owens,
Gareth Pugh and Martin Margiela,
plus interesting new names, Paolo
Sperti, Gara and Liz Black.
Grenson
Bernstock Speirs
18 Hanbury Street.
(020) 7377 8099. grenson.co.uk
A classic English men’s shoemaker
since 1866 – and still working in the
original Northamptonshire factory,
combining traditional techniques
234 Brick Lane. (020) 7739 7385.
bernstockspeirs.com
One of the new breed of
independent milliners to emerge in
the 1980s, Paul Bernstock and Thelma
Speirs have a fresh take on urban 
shop london
For airfares call Qantas on
13 13 13 or visit qantas.com. For
holiday packages to London call
Qantas Holidays on 13 14 15.
11 Boundary
11 Boundary Street.
(020) 7033 0310. 11boundary.com
A sophisticated modern version
of the classic mixed-brand ladies
boutique, with the charismatic
owner on hand to offer advice.
Gorgeous dresses from Malene
Birger, Tom Ford shades and
beautifully draping wool/silk
scarves by Becksöndergaard.
Mawi
From left: Labour
And Wait; Boundary;
Tatty Devine
headwear, using unconventional
fabrics and techniques, never
compromising on quality.
Tatty Devine
236 Brick Lane. (020) 7739 9191.
tattydevine.com
Witty costume jewellery, mostly
handmade from perspex. Much
imitated, but this is the real thing.
The 2012 spring/summer collection
is inspired by Mexico, with
necklaces in the shape of slices of
watermelon and flying parakeets.
Labour And Wait
85 Redchurch Street. (020) 7729
6245. labourandwait.co.uk
One of the first shops to put
Shoreditch on the shopping map.
A carefully selected pick of classic
functional products where style
and utility unite. Stripey Breton
tops, sailor smocks and fishing
bags, mixed up with brooms,
enamel buckets and classic
European eau de cologne.
neighbourhood note
A lot of shops in E2 open only
Friday-Sunday; the ones that do
8 4 Q A N TAS j u ly 201 2
trade during the week mostly
don’t open until 11am. The flower
market and shops in Columbia
Road are open only on Sundays.
Maison Trois Garçons
45 Redchurch Street.
(078) 7964 0858.
maison3garcons.myshopify.com
Vintage furniture and homewares
shop from the founders of the
fabulously baroque-kitsch Les
Trois Garçons restaurant in 2000,
where old handbags hang from
chandeliers as stuffed animals
look on. I found it hard to walk
away from a coffee table in the
form of a giant house of cards.
Hostem
41-43 Redchurch Street.
(020) 7739 9733. hostem.co.uk
A groundbreaking menswear store
with a vintage-meets-industrial
interior and a superb selection of
well-known (Margaret Howell, Ann
Demeulemeester) and interesting
new brands. I was taken with Yang
Li’s suits in a high-tech mix of wool
and polyurethane. High prices, but
true investment dressing.
Sunspel
7 Redchurch Street.
(020) 7739 9729.
www.sunspel.com
The latest heritage British brand
(based in Nottingham since 1860)
to be stylishly revived. Like John
Smedley, they make fine cotton
jersey staples plus knitwear. This
shop stocks menswear, with excellent
fine-gauge polo shirts and superior
loop-back cotton sweatsuits.
Start
59 Rivingston Street.
(020) 7739 3636.
www.startlondon.com
The first designer clothing store in
E2 is still the best for womenswear.
Former rock chick (The Fall) now
TV star, owner Brix Smith-Start
keeps prices realistic by stocking
mainly diffusion lines, such as
Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, See by
Chloé and T by Alexander Wang.
Husband Philip Start created the
Woodhouse menswear chain and
is the brains behind the two
neighbouring Start menswear
stores – one designer brands,
one bespoke tailoring.
11 Calvert Avenue.
(020) 7923 1414. mawi.co.uk
Stunning jewellery, on Shoreditch’s
prettiest street. It’s strictly
costume – no precious stones
– but one of their ranges is called
“Heirloom” with good reason.
These are timeless statement
pieces, which will be the vintage
treasures of the future.
Anthem
10-12 Calvert Avenue.
(020) 7033 0054. anthemstore.co.uk
Another high point in the
Shoreditch menswear cluster;
utility-themed and designer gear
– canvas jackets, handmade leather
bags, denim work shirts – in a
manly, brick-walled interior with
quirky vintage objects. Co-owner
Simon Spiteri is ex-head of
menswear at Liberty.
Present
140 Shoreditch High Street.
(020) 7033 0500.
present-london.com
A fabulous men’s shop from two of
the founders of legendary London
menswear label The Duffer of St
George. Authentic heritage brands
are the theme and there’s a Square
Mile coffee bar at the front, which
even picky Aussies have dubbed
“the best coffee in London”. c
Maggie Alderson’s
most recent novel is
Shall We Dance (Penguin)